Batman Beyond Shadow of the Bat
by Soundwave-82
Summary: This is manly a What if story of the Batman Beyond Animated serise what if Terry had been the son of Barbara Gordon & Dick Grayson instead of Terry McGuines
1. Chapter 1

AN 1: Created in partnership with Jounouchi after discuss what we found wrong with the Batman Beyond animated and we came up with this story and thanks to doc4 for being the beta reader .

AN 2: this story is a write of the Batman Beyond animated if Terry had been the son of Richard 'Nightwing' Grayson and Barbara 'Batgirl' Grayson

Plot: Terry Grayson is the son of Dick and Barbara Grayson when he parents are murdered by Black Mask and Blockbuster Terry is sent to live with his living relative Bruce and his wife Selena and their daughter Helen Wayne he soon discovered that their parents have been keeping secrets from them that they where the crime fight hero Batman, Catwoman, Batgirl and Nightwing. He soon becomes the Batman to bring his parents killer to justice.

Batman Beyond Batman legacy

Grayson apartment  
Bludhaven

Thirty-five year old Richard Grayson is talking on telephone while his wife Barbara sits on the couch working on a laptop computer with a nine year old boy asleep with his head on Barbara's knee.

"Hey Bruce."

'Dick. Still coming down for the weekend?' His mentor and father figure, Bruce Wayne, said on the other end of the line.

"Yeah," Dick confirmed.

"Me and Barbara will be down to see everyone. Terry's really looking forward to seeing Helena again."

'Those two seem to get on well,' Bruce said.

"Not too surprising," Dick said with a smile.

"They have pretty much grown up together. Tim going to be there? We haven't seen him in a while, it'll be good to see him. How's the Commissioner job treating him?"

'He seems happy enough,' Bruce said. 'Seems like he slotted into the role naturally after Jim retired. But I'm kind of surprised Barbara didn't take over.'

"Barbara's happy with her teaching criminology class and lectures," Dick said.

"Tell Bruce I say Hi," Barbara shouted as quietly as she could so as not to wake her son.

"Barbara says hi. So Bruce how are handling that big, spooky Mansion of yours without Alfred to look after you? Still going out every night dressed up for Halloween?" Dick teased.

'Funny Dick,' Bruce said dryly. 'I look forward to seeing when you all when you arrive next week. Helena and Selena can't wait to see you.'

"Take care, Bruce. All our love to the girls," Dick said, hanging up. He smiles as he walked over to the sofa, sitting down next to Barbara.

"So, how is he?" said Barbara

"Seemed happy to be seeing us this weekend. This will be the first time we've been to Gotham since your father died from Cancer five years ago," Dick said.

"I know," Barbara said, running her hand lightly through the hair of her sleeping son.

"Just...too many memories, I guess.

"I know, babe," Dick said, wrapping an arm around her.

"I think we could use an early night. Terry's already out," Barbara nodded, closes her laptop computer and picking up Terry gently, carrying him into his room and placing him in bed.

"Sleep tight, baby boy," Barbara whispered, walking back down the hall and into the room she shared with Dick. "Well, he's all tucked in."

"You ever regret it?" dick asked.

"Retiring the cowl, moving to Bludhaven, marrying me?" Barbara smiled, kissing him deeply.

"Not for a moment," she whispered, climbing into bed with a sultry grin.

"Come on, bird boy. No need for sleep just yet."

Next morning  
Grayson's Apartment  
Kitchen

"Morning!" Terry said loudly as he walked into the kitchen, his skateboard under his arm. Dick raised an eyebrow.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Barbara asked, putting a bowl of cereal in front of him.

"Um...going for a quick ride before we leave?" Terry asked innocently.

"You know we're leaving in two hours, right?" Dick asked.

"Tim nodded slowly. Dick looked at Barbara who shrugged.

"So be back before then," Terry's eyes lit up.

"Ok dad! Bye mom!" He said as he races out the door. Not realising this would be the last time he would ever see his parent alive.

The large man slowly made his way up the stairs, one target in mind, not even registering the small boy racing past him. If the information he had was correct, then soon he would have his revenge over those who had wronged him.

Inside the apartment

"Alright, everything packed?" Barbara asked.

"Yup," Dick confirmed.

"Just gotta wait for Terry to get back and..." he was cut off as the door exploded, leaving a sight he never thought he'd see again. Blockbuster?  
"Well, well, Nightwing and Batgirl," Dick and Barbara looked at each other in shock. How...? "Looks like its payback time, kiddies. First you... then the Bat."

The massive brute struck out, forcing old instincts long in disuse to come out as the two former heroes leapt into action, leaping in different directions as the coffee table was reduced to splinters by Blockbusters punch.

"I hope you can pay for that," Dick said as his foot rammed into Blockbusters temple.

"Though I suppose you can take the cost out of your medical bills."

"Dick, dear, probably not the time to go into all your old habits," Barbara said, rolling under Blockbusters haymaker. That was close, she thought. Dammit, we're too old for this, out of practice.

"Sorry Babs," Dick said, thinking along the same lines.

"Old habits die hard."

"Well, let me help ya with that," Blockbuster growled, swatting Dick aside as the former Robin leapt at him.

"Back off, lug nut!" Barbara yelled, sweeping his legs from underneath him.

"Ow," Dick muttered as Barbara went to his side. "That hurt a bit more than I remember."

"Any bright ideas?" Barbara asked. Dick shook his head.

"I've got nothing," he said.

"You?"

"Lots, but we left our utility belts with Batman," Barbara said.

"Right," Dick muttered as Blockbuster got to his feet.

"So we're pretty much screwed, huh?"

"Been a hell of a run, babe," Barbara told him. Dick smirked as Blockbuster began a new charge.

"Let's give it one more try."

Two Hours later

"Hey what's with all the cop cars and ambulances?" Terry asked with an innocent boys mind. His parents had always told him not to interfere with Police operations, but he needed to get past or else he'd be late.

"Um, excuse me, sir, but can I please go past?" he asked politely, tugging on an officers pants leg.

"My parents are waiting for me. We're going away today," the officer looked down at the boy.

"What's your name, son?"

"Terry Grayson," the boy answered.

"Is there something the matter?" The offiver said nothing, gesturing to his superior. The two had a hushed conversation as the ambulance operators wheeled out two trolleys covered with blankets. Terry wondered idly what had happened, and where his parents were.

"Terry, right?" Terry looked up at the senior officer.

"Yes, sir. What's going on?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, son. It's about your parents," images of the two trolleys flashed through his mind. The boy began shaking his head.

"No..."

I'm sorry," the officer began.

"NO!" The boy screamed, running past the two officers.

"Grab him!" the senior said. Terry was halted as he was lifted by an investigator before he could make it to the building.

"Let me go!" Terry screamed. It was a lie, or some joke. It had to be. All he had to do was get to the apartment. They'd be there waiting for him and they could all go to Gotham for the weekend. He just had to get to the flat.

"Let me go!" Let me go!"

30 minutes later  
Wayne Manor

"Thank you officer," Bruce said, his voice gravelly and dark as he hung up the phone. He'd have to call Selena back from her trip and...

"Dad, is something wrong?" Bruce turned to his daughter, Helena, who was leaning around the corner curiously.

"Helena, pack your things," he ordered. "We're going to Bludhaven."

"Has something happened to Dick and Babs?" she asked, concerned.

"What about Terry? What's going on, daddy?" Bruce closed his eyes, knowing what he was about to say would shatter her innocence much as it had already shattered Terry. As it had Tim's, Dicks...and His own.

"Dick and Barbara...are dead," he said slowly. He didn't realise it, Helena didn't recognise it, but a dark tone was sneaking into his voice. One that had chilled the hearts of Gotham's criminal underworld for many years.

Something that had been sleeping was about to awaken.

The Shadow of the Bat  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five Days later  
Wayne Manor, Gotham City USA

The rain fell heavily as the small group stood around the two gravestones, heads bowed. Helena had n arm wrapped firmly around Terry's shoulder for support as the boy let his grief be known, his tears mixing with the rain. Behind him, Tim Drake and his wife Sophie stood with Bruce and Selena. A family reunited in its darkest hour.

"Selena, can you take the kids up to the house," Bruse asked. "I'll join you in a moment," Selena nodded, taking terry and Helena by the hand, Sophie joining her as they headed up to the manor.

"Bruce?" Tim asked. The older man turned to him, and in that moment, Tim saw a look in his eyes that he hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"Bruce, you can't, not again. What's about Selena and Helena? What about Terry? He needs you now."

"I know," Bruce said quietly.

"I know. I just... need a moment," Tim sighed loudly, turning towards the manor.

"Just...don't do anything stupid," he said quietly.

"I don't think I'll fit in my old tights anymore."

"Got it," Bruce said as Tim moved away. Bruce looked down at the two graves for a moment longer, his eye burning them into his mind.

Richard Grayson  
Barbara Grayson

The older man walked to another part of the property finding himself in front of two more graves.

Graves that had changed his life, and the life of Gotham city itself.

Thomas Wayne  
Martha Wayne

Bruce took a breather before heading up to the manor. I might have to break that promise, Selena. I'm sorry...

"It's not fair," Terry complained as the rest of his family sat in chairs in the lounge.

"It's not fair. Why did my parents have to die? Why haven't the police caught the guy that did it? Why?"

"I don't know, kiddo," Selena said, wrapping the boy in her arms, rubbing his back soothingly.

"He won't get away with it," Terry whispered.

"No one will. Ever again," Selena's eyes went wide, Tim stiffened and Sophie merely watched as history repeated itself.

"I swear on my parents graves. This will never happen again. And if I have to spend the rest of my life making sure of that, then I'll do it."

Bruce stood off to one side, having come in just in time to hear the boys pledge, looking at an old grandfather clock that never worked.

And outside, in the dark, if you listened, you could hear the sound of a bat flying into the night.

End of chapter 1:


	2. Chapter 2

An: I like to thank my beta reader for help me with this.

Chapter 2

Bruce stared at the old grandfather clock. Could he do this again? With his heart? With his family? Could he really go through this, put them through this? Like he had Alfred? Like he had before?

After everything he'd been through, every death, every criminal put away, and now this maniac hunting his family, was that question even needed?

He moved the hands to the time of his parent's death, watching with an almost nostalgic feel as the clock swung aside, revealing a dark passage down into the depths beneath the mansion. His family's greatest secret.

The home base of one of the most feared and revered costumed hero in the world.

He flipped the switch at the top of the stairs, lights flickering on, the massive computer whirring to life. He made his way down the stairs, memories invading his thoughts as the bats screeched and flew overhead. As he reached the bottom, he stopped in front of the glass cases, looking at the costumes ones worn by Dick and Barbara, a pain filling his heart.

This should never off happened. Their identities shouldn't have been discovered. The whole situation stunk. How had he known? Who had told him?

"What are you doing down here?" He asked. Selena stepped out of the shadows, moving over to him.

"I know what you're thinking, Bruce," she whispered. "I know how you feel, but..."

"This shouldn't have happened," he whispered. "Blockbuster doesn't have the intelligence or the know-how to have found them. Someone told him."

"We should tell the League," Selena began. "Or Tim. Maybe..."

"No," Bruce said. "This is my fault. I left too many trails, too many people knew. And I got them into this."

"You hardly held a gun to their heads," Selena reminded him. True enough, but if he hadn't encouraged it... "They would have gone out there anyway, just with less training and equipment," Bruce smiled.

"You know me well."

"I should, after all we've been through," Selena said with a smirk, before sighing. "So, what do you need me to do?" Bruce turned to her, eyebrow raised. "You can't do this on your own, not in your conditiont, so don't even try it. I'm not losing you too."

"Fine," he said. Selena's eyes looked back at the row of cases, a small smirk spreading across her face.

"Ya know, I still think my old costume looks out of place there," she remarked.

"It belong there, Selena," Bruce told her as he moved to the computer. "Just like you do," Selena followed him.

"I presume you have a plan, oh master tactician," Bruce smiked as his hands moved over the computer's keyboard.

"I'm bringing up Blockbusters file and transferring the information to the Prototype," he explained. "I never did get a chance to try the technology. The system will keep me up to speed and allow you to monitor my heart from here. The on-board computer system will help me track down Blockbuster; all his information will be at my fingertips."

"Quite the upgrade," Bruce just nodded as he entered a command on the computer. The vault where his costumes and equipment were held opened and the lights surrounding the prototype Exo-Suit turned on.

"Time to find out what Blockbuster knows. And how he knows it."

_Nightclub, Lower Gotham_

_Two hours later_

"Bull shit," came the cry from one end of the table. "After all this time, you expect use to believe you killed Nightwing and Batgirl? How'd you even find them?" At the head of the table, Blockbuster just grinned.

"Ah, that's my little secret," he said, chugging down at glass of beer. "But believe me, it was sweet. Watching the 'great' Nightwing cry like a baby while I crushed his woman like a grape. Ah, how the mighty have fallen."

"What about the Bat? He ain't going to take this lying down."

"All in good time. Let's let him stew over his little failure for now. It's not like he's going to come after me, he's way past hi..."

Galss rained down on them as the skylight shattered, the figure feared by Gotham's undergroind leaping down on them.

"Game's over, Blockbuster," Batman said, drawing himself to his full height Blockbuster smiled sadistically as the rest of the clubs patrons ran for the exits. "I have questions. You're gonna start answering."

"Yeah, in you're dreams, Batsy. Tell me, how's Selena?" Batman didn't answer as he leapt at the mad man. Blockbuster deflected the lunge, sending Btman across the room. The Dark Knight landed with all his vaunted agility, eyes glaring at the man who had taken his 'children' from him.

"Where did you get you're information?"

"Shouldn't you be more worried about your heart, _Bruce_?" Batman leapt at him again, punching at him. The monster man moved, grabbing his arm and bending it back. "Y'see, Brucey boy, you just don't have it anymore. I could kill you right here, but that wouldn't be any fun. Now, watching you like I did Dick while I kill that wife of yours... THAT will be fun," Blockbuster looked around as he heard sirens coming towards them. "Seeya round, Batsy," Batman managed to turn just in time to see Blackbuster crash through the back wall as a familiar figure entered, gun drawn.

"Tim."

"Selena said you were in trouble," the former Robin and current Commisioner said. Bruce grunter, placing a hand on his chest. Damn... "You alright?"

"No," was the reply. "Tim..."

"Don't worry," he said, "I knew you'd pull something like this. I've already called in some help."

_Outside_

"Heh, stupid old man," Blockbuster said. "Shoulda known better."

"I must admit I'm surprised by his actions."

"Huh?" Blockbuster looked up, his eyes spotting an odd figure floating above him, red eyes blazing. The shadow had a pointed head with a cape flowing behind him. All else was hidden by the night.

"He is usually far more controlled," the figure continued, floating to the ground, revealing green skin and a blue jump suit. "But then again, you did murder his family, or a part there of."

"The Manhunter..." Blockbuster growled. J'onn J'onz, the Martian Manhunter, stepped forward, arms hanging loosely at his sides.

"Now, you will give me the answers he seeks," the Manhunter said as he got closer.

"Or what?"

"You misunderstand," J'onn said. "I'm not giving you a choice," with not even a gesture, the Martian lashed out with his telepathic ability, tearing the information from Blockbusters mind, rendering him unconscious as Batman and Tim came after him.

"J'onn."

"Hello, Bruce. It's been a while," Bruce looked down at Blockbusters prone form.

"A little more brutal than usual," he commented.

"He is a brutal man," J'onn said. "And the world has become a brutal place," Bruce nodded in understanding. "I have removed the name of the contact that gave him the information, as well as the identities he had. When he awakens, he will remember killing dick and Barbara for a paid job, nothing more."

"Thank you," Bruce said.

"We should go somewhere quiet. There is much to dicuss.

_Batcave_

_Later that night_

"So it was just a contact?" Bruce asked, scowling. J'onn nodded.

"Yes. I will give you the information, but might I suggest letting Tim track them down."

"J'onn..."

"I understand," J'onn cut him off. "But you are in no shape to go after him. You condition is worsening; you are not a young man anymore. Let the police do there job. And, if necessary, the League," Bruce sighed.

"Fine," he growled out, looking at the roof. "I'm going to get him ready."

"Terry?" Bruce nodded.

"Don't tell Selena, but...I saw it. The look on his face. I've seen that before. On Tim. On Dick."

"On your own face?" J'onn offered. Bruce nodded.

"He'll be trained," Bruce said. "Ready. Equipped. What happened with Blockbuster just made me realise. Batman is still needed. The work isn't over."

"You think he will accept?" Bruce just looked J'onn in the eye before nodding. "I see. I will help him where I can."

"Thank you," Bruce said, turning on the Bat-computer. "You know you're way out, I presume?"

"Of course," J'onn said. "Pass my condolences to the boy," the Martian left, leaving Bruce to his thoughts.

"Computer, boot up the designs for the Exo-Suit and begin a new design program. File name.... Beyond."


End file.
